Good Progress On Ferguson Fire Overnight, Now 79 Percent Contained

MARIPOSA COUNTY – Firefighters continue to gain the upper hand on the Ferguson Fire, now estimated at 95,104 acres with 79 percent containment.

Crews continue to focus their efforts on the finger of the fire reaching toward Yosemite Valley, and stopping the spread to the North and South Rims of the Valley.

Overnight, firefighters took advantage of higher relative humidity and initiated a burning operation in the Grouse Creek drainage to prevent the fire from becoming established in the drainage and spreading across Wawona Road and further into the Park.

Firefighters will have a presence on all portions of the fire, however resources will be focused on the tunnel area of Big Oak Flats Road, Grouse Creek Drainage, and containment lines leading away from Badger Pass.

Evacuations will be lifted for Foresta as of 8 a.m. today. All residents will need to use the ENTRY POINTS at Highway 140 or Highway 120/ Big Oak Flat Road.

Big Oak Flat Road opens at 8 a.m. to residents and employees only.

There is no word yet on when closed portions of Yosemite National Park will reopen. There is still fire along the roads and dangerous fire-weakened trees continue to pose a hazard to both firefighters and the public.

Mop-up continues around Yosemite West and along Highway 41 south to Wawona. All lines are holding well.

The southern and western perimeters of the fire are in patrol status, and suppression repair work is underway.

A high pressure system has settled to the north of the fire area, creating an inversion over the fire. This inversion is acting like a cap over the fire trapping in air and moderating fire behavior. Today firefighters can expect similar weather conditions as the past few days; humidity
will be between 10 and 20 percent and winds light and variable.

The Ferguson Fire started on Friday, July 13, at 8:30 p.m., near Savage Trading Post on the south side of the Merced River canyon along Highway 140. The cause remains under investigation.

The estimated date for full containment is Aug. 15.

There are currently 1,889 personnel assigned to the incident including 135 engines, 22 crews, 18 water tenders, 23 dozers, 5 masticators, 14 helicopters, and fixed-wing tankers as conditions allow. Some personnel are being sent to other fires across the state including the Holy Fire in southern California.

Ten structures have been destroyed by the Ferguson Fire. Damage assessment teams have been able to get into some of the burn areas of the fire, and report that most of the 10 structures reported lost were in the Ned Gulch area on the north end of the fire. According to locals, these were historic mining operation structures that were being restored and used weekly for various types of outings and expeditions.

There have been 13 firefighter injuries reported, and numerous instances of heat exhaustion-type symptoms. There have been two fatalities on the fire; HFEO Braden Varney was killed in a dozer rollover accident on July 14, and Brian Hughes, Arrowhead Hotshot Captain, lost his life on July 29 when he was struck by a tree during a firing operation.

Yosemite Valley has been closed since July 25 due to smoke impacts and for firefighting operations along El Portal Road and the Wawona Road.

The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and the Wawona Road (Highway 41) from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park to Tunnel View will remain closed until further notice.

The Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 West) to Crane Flat has been reopened. Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) from Crane Flat to Tioga Pass, remains open to all visitors and vehicles. All trails and campgrounds along Tioga Road, including the Tuolumne Meadows Campground remain open. All visitor services along Tioga Road, including the High Sierra Camps and visitor services near Tuolumne Meadows, remain open.

Non-essential personnel in Yosemite Valley evacuated Friday due to hazardous road conditions, smoke and a loss of power, were allowed to return home on Wednesday. Yosemite Valley has been closed to the public since July 25, however Yosemite National Park remains open on the east side out of Lee Vining, and Tioga Pass Road (Highway 120 East) provides access to the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center, the Pacific Crest and John Muir trails.

Yosemite National Park is working closely with the Incident Management Team and continues to assess park conditions daily.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has also warned that a health caution is in place and smoke impacts will continue until the fire is extinguished.

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of gases and fine, microscopic particles that can cause health problems including triggering asthma attacks, aggravating chronic heart and lung diseases, and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Where conditions warrant, people with heart or lung disease should follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of particulate exposure. People with existing respiratory conditions, young children and elderly people are especially susceptible to the health effects from these pollutants. Anyone being exposed to poor air quality or wildfire smoke should move inside to an air-conditioned environment.

Residents can check the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s wildfire page at www.valleyair.org/wildfires for information about any current wildfires and whether they are impacting the Valley. The District’s Real-time Air Advisory Network (RAAN) provides localized air quality data from an extensive air-monitoring network which allows Valley residents to track PM at any Valley address by visiting myraan.com.

General Information

If community members see new fire activity, they are asked to call 911, not the fire information line.

As of July 21, there are fire restrictions in place on the Sierra National Forest. Please read and be informed before you use any type of fire in the forest.

The Incident Command Post for the Ferguson Fire is located at the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Please be aware of heavy fire equipment moving through the area. There is also a base camp set up on the Stanislaus National Forest. Personnel at the fire camp at Badger Pass have been relocated to the ICP in Ahwahnee due to active fire in the area.

Cal Fire exited Unified Command as of 6 a.m., Thursday, July 26, because of reduced threats to state and private lands. Cal Fire remains committed to the Ferguson Incident as an assisting agency. California Interagency Incident Management Team 3, led by Incident Commander Mark von Tillow, has assumed management of the Ferguson Fire as of 6 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 3, transitioning in for California Team 4, which had be managing the fire since July 19.

For information about the fire please call 530-377-6221.

Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken has signed a forest order closing several Groveland Ranger District roads and trails impacted by the Ferguson Fire. This closure is based on the current and expected fire behavior and will be in effect until Sept. 30, or until replaced or rescinded. Click here for details and a map of the closure.

Be sure you are signed up to receive alerts when wildfire or other emergencies threaten.

To register for the Madera County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Alert System visit mcalert.org.

Evacuations

New today: Evacuations will be lifted for the community of Forest at 8 a.m. today. All residents will need to use the ENTRY POINTS at Highway 140 or Highway 120/ Big Oak Flat Road.

Big Oak Flat Road opens at 8 a.m. to residents and employees only.

Foresta Road will open at 8 a.m. today

New yesterday: Residents of Yosemite Valley were allowed to return home as of 10 a.m. yesterday using the Highway 140 entrance only. Long delays expected between 1 and 4 p.m. and PG&E works to restore power. The Valley is still closed to the public.

Mandatory evacuations remain in place for:

Yosemite Valley – residents only.

A Red Cross Evacuation Center has been established at New Life Christian Fellowship, 5089 Cole Road in Bootjack.

If you have been evacuated due to the Ferguson Fire, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please check in with the Red Cross Shelter even if you do not plan to stay there.

If you are in a Mandatory Evacuation or Advisory Area and may require assistance with evacuation transportation due to special needs or medical issues, please contact Human Services toll free at 1-833-423-0816 as soon as possible.

Planning ahead will help with a safe and timely evacuation.

Road Closures

Summit Road

Highway 140 is closed from the park gate east

Highway 41 from the south gate of Yosemite to Yosemite Valley (Bridalveil Fall). Open from the south gate to Wawona and Yosemite West for residents only

General information on returning to previously evacuated areas:

Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office will have a heavy presence in the area to ensure the security and safety of residents and businesses.

There will still be smoke in the respective areas as firefighters continue firefighting operations. If at any time you feel unsafe, please call 911.

For questions or concerns regarding power, please contact PG&E at 800-743-5000 or visit their website at www.pge.com.

The Mariposa County Health Department has health and safety information for residents returning to their homes on their website at http://www.mariposacounty.org/health or call 209-966-3689.

Mariposa County Health and Human Services will be available to assist residents with gaining additional services. Additional information regarding these and other services is available at www.mariposacountyrecovers.org.

SAFETY MESSAGE – The public is reminded to stay vigilant on current fire conditions. Please continue to adhere to road closures and any evacuation warnings. If you see electrical wires on the ground, stay clear and contact PG&E immediately. Trees and poles with deep charring, particularly if still smoking, should be considered hazardous. Please drive slowly and yield to emergency personnel in the area. As you re-enter your property and evaluate damage, be aware that hazardous conditions may exist, particularly if a residence or out-building has burned. Hazards may include asbestos, heavy metals, by-products of plastic combustion and various other chemicals. We encourage the public to remain prepared year-round for wildfires by visiting the www.readyforwildfire.org website. The best show of support is having your home and property “fire-ready.”